That Cold Stare
by deathbyhugs
Summary: She's a mute. A slave to the cold hearted Naraku who has her do his dirty work and abuses her. She wants to escape, to be free from the evil and only one unexpected Taiyoukai can help her.
1. The life

_**This is being redone anyways this is another story that I have made. I hope you like it and PLEASE REVIEW!!!! Flames and other comments can be useful.**_

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The castle was silent. No one walked the hallways that were constantly empty. The shades on all the windows were pulled down and no sunlight poured through the cracks even though it was daybreak.

The sun never shone here. The only thing that seemed to float around in the sky was great amounts of miasma that protected the castle from unwelcome company.

The castle's appearance was hauntingly royal. The ends of the roof curved up and had a golden orb placed on the tops of each one. The window frames were made from a smooth oak that had been darkened to match the color of the foundation that was a mixture of dark purples and browns.

One of the straw mats that were used as doors rustled in a sudden wind that had kicked up. It swayed back and forth slowly as it subsided.

The entire castle was filled with a brilliant red light that engulfed everything. A shadow could be seen from the inside quarters as it moved around.

The straw door was pushed to the side as the shadow crept about in the main courtyard. It stopped at another entrance and entered after scanning the area.

The floorboards in the hallways moaned as the shadow walked across them. A faint noise of the shadow's feet scraping the ground could be heard as it neared the main throne room.

It sat down in the biggest chair near the back wall. A flash of lightning lit up the room and two red eyes and a wicked white smile were the only figures of the shadow that could be seen.

It cocked its head to the side and a lantern was lit. The light reviled the shadow's true form.

A man sat in the chair. His black hair was put up on his head and some locks of hair escaped and spilled out over his ears. He wore a light blue eye shadow that seemed to bring out the redness in his eyes. He wore a very royal kimono that had extra long sleeves and extra baggy pants to suit his likings.

His calm cool form was shaken when another shadow appeared in the hallway. He quickly light up another lantern with a nod of his head to see who was there. A cold, cruel smile appeared on his face as he recognized the person that now stood before him.

She was wrapped up in chains. They hung off her arms and on her legs as they all connected to the main chain that had a spiked ball at the end. Her eyes were glazed over with fear and her figures looked weary. She bowed respectfully towards the cold man and then stood up even though the chains were over weighted and caused her to have a slight crook in her back.

"It's you, Kagura."

She nodded.

"So why have you interrupted me?"

Kagura pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to the man with a shaky hand. She withdrew it quickly and looked at him as he read it.

"I see. Well go bring her to me."

She pulled on her chains and motioned to him that they were too heavy for the distance that she had to walk. He only answered by slapping her across the face. She turned around and hung her head low. She walked out of the room. The chains slashed upon each other as her legs moved slowly.

Kagura's eyes shot open in pain as the metal rubbed up against a wound on her leg that her master had given her because she didn't answer a question.

She halted when his cold voice rang down the hallway.

"Tell her that Naraku wishes to see her."

Kagura continued to walk without bowing to her master. She heard quick footsteps on the floorboards and he was beside her in an instant. She cowered in fear when he struck her across the back, making Kagura crash into the floor.

"Show more respect wench!"

Naraku walked back into the throne room. Kagura managed to get up with shaky legs and continued to walk into the direction that she was ordered to.

The chains tightened and Kagura almost went flying into the wall. The spiked ball was stuck on one of the corners that she had passed. She bent down and placed both hands on it and lifted it up.

Her fragile arms began to shake and her legs started to wobble. Kagura had no choice but to drop it. She fell over when the ball made contact with the floor.

Naraku's voice could be heard from the throne room as he heard the ball crashing through the wood and making a gapping hole where it fell.

Kagura slowly stood up and walked as fast as she could, for running was highly impossible and her boy just wouldn't move that fast anymore.

At last the door to the room of which Kagura was sent to, appeared at the end of the winding, narrow hallway.

She stood outside of it and knocked on the door. A woman answered it. She wore elegant red robes with white patterns on the bottom of it. Her hair was put loosely back into a ponytail and her jet-black hair gleamed in the low lighting.

Kagura handed her a slip of paper with Naraku's wishes on it. She watched as the elder woman studied it for a moment and then nodded as she stiffed a slight laugh.

"Tell Naraku that next time he wants to see me he should come himself."

She looked at Kagura who still stood in the doorway waiting for something but the elegant woman did not know what.

"Oh. I forgot."

The woman went back into the room and went over to a make shift desk. She quickly wrote on a different slip of paper. She walked back to Kagura and glared when she still hadn't turned around. She was just waiting to be dismissed.

"Well hurry now you useless slave."

Kagura bowed as she was taught so cruelly to and went back down the hallway, each step painful as the chains rubbed roughly against the wounds that Naraku had given her whenever he wanted her to speak, but she could not.

When Kagura entered Naraku's room he was angry and pacing back and forth from the throne chair to the window that was located on the left hand side of the room. The cruel man stopped and looked into the scarlet eyes that were watching him. He walked over to Kagura. She held out the paper that she was given and took a step back after he had finished reading it.

"Inconsiderate bitch. I don't have to do anything Kikyou says. It doesn't matter if she's my queen or not."

Kagura looked the other way. She didn't want to see the anger in his eyes anymore.

Naraku raised a hand to strike Kagura and only laughed when she began to shake badly.

"Go get everything ready for our guest. You'll get your punishment later."

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_**Well I hope you liked it so far. I'll be updating soon. And once again please review like I have said many times before: the more reviews the more I update.**_

_**See you next time.**_


	2. Sesshomaru's visit, and that cold stare

_**Author note: Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the wait! I'm glad this story is getting a good response! Anyways I have yet to jump into the plot but for now I leave you with a new chapter, chapter two!**_

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An eerie mist rose off of the lake. The sun was setting in its normal way. Small ripples appeared on the surface as the lake fish jumped out from time to time to catch the tiny pests that flew too close to the water.

Frogs croaked in harmony as the sun finally set, leaving the moon to fulfill it's duty of giving some sort of light to the barren land.

Large rocks lined the shore of the lake, replacing any sand of smooth pebbles. It was not a cozy lake, more like one that housed the larvae of mosquitoes and other aquatic creatures. The water held an unhealthy color, that of green and a deep shade of gray to cloak the life that thrived at the bottom of it.

On one of those rocks sat a shadowy figure. It was fairy tall and held a strong demonic aura around it. Of course it would, after all he was Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, and a powerful foe to anyone that dare get in his way.

The taiyoukai was traveling to the near by castle that held the protecting cover of miasma. He personally despised it and the scum that it housed. He was only going there to make peace with their lands in hope to settle all the riots and wars going on between them both.

He despised the fact that the king there was nothing but a filthy creature with tainted blood, a hanyou to be exact. And by his side stood the creepy woman that held no life in her eyes and walked around like she was merely a shell, and not to mention she was a _human_.

Sesshomaru had received a letter only days ago insisting that the two leaders of the lands were to meet at Naraku's castle to settle the arguments. At first he didn't want anything to do with it, but the fighting was wasting his time and becoming rather absurd, not like it was to begin with in the first place.

So the Lord of the Western Lands had set out on an uneventful journey across a barren land that held no life at all. It didn't make matters any better having to travel with a very annoying toad youkai. He would cross the line sometimes, but he had to put up with him, the toad had been his servant for several hundreds of years now.

Sesshomaru shifted in his rocky position. He let his beautiful amber eyes look to the side to see what Jaken was up to. And just like magic the tiny toad youkai came stumbling along, the staff of two heads in his hands, with questions coming out of his ass in a never ending supply.

"Master Sesshomaru I have spotted a path that we were informed about. If you follow me I will lead you right this way."

The taiyoukai just simply nodded his head in silent agreement and got up, off of the rock.

The thick brush held a smell of rotting wood and other vegetations. Sesshomaru scrunched his nose up in disgust as the awful smelled plagued his nose. He absentmindedly put a sleeved arm up over his nose in an attempt to dispose of the stench, but it was useless his nose was just too powerful.

Mist followed freely off of the lake and was now surrounding the forest with it too. Sesshomaru and Jaken's shadows appeared every now and then as the mist thinned out.

The toad youkai had no idea where he was going now. He thought that he was walking directly behind his master, but found out the hard way that he wasn't when he walked face first into a rock solid tree trunk.

Sesshomaru heard the ruckus but kept on going. The absence of the annoying toad would be much welcomed. His stupid questions and inquiries weren't needed because he had a mind of his own and knew how to use it.

The mist began to evaporate and slowly shrank away. The trees were becoming less recent and in no time the Lord of the Western Lands was walking well past the tree line and was now on the path that Jaken had spotted.

Sesshomaru finally let his arm go back down to his side as the rotten stench subsided. He quickly surveyed the land and checked for any prey or enemies that might be a both to him.

Now the castle stood before the taiyoukai. He walked regally towards the structure and paid no heed to the puny eye of the lesser demons that watched him in silent awe.

The tall wooden doors to the castle appeared before him. He pushed on them with his deadly poison claws and watched as they reviled what lay behind them.

The courtyard was nothing special. Walkways overflowed with dead roses and the whole damn thing was a disastrous mess. The 'garden' was empty; nothing grew there at all. The walkways were filthy and beyond recognition.

Sesshomaru grunted in disgust. He walked up to the nest door where he knew Naraku and his human wench would be waiting for his arrival.

He was expecting to find only two beings there, but now a third stood by them, this one obviously a servant because she hung her head low and her wardrobe was filthy. She had chains that looked painfully wrapped around both arms and legs. Her demonic aura was sad and the scent of tears was clearly present.

"Welcome Sesshomaru," a cold voice came.

"Naraku," the taiyoukai growled.

"Let's get this agreement over and done with."

"Precisely."

Sesshomaru followed the two despised figures into the castle. The servant was walked behind them. She locked the door behind Sesshomaru and silently followed the 'guest'.

Naraku stopped and went into the throne room. Kikyou had already made her way inside and was sitting in her jewel in crested chair. She eyed Sesshomaru suspiciously and then nodded for him to come in. He didn't acknowledge it; he didn't need a human wench to tell him where to go or what to do.

Naraku took his seat beside Kikyou and waited patiently as Sesshomaru found a comfy wall and leaned up against it. Then he turned to look at Kagura, who was staring at the powerful taiyoukai.

"Go get some refreshments for Sesshomaru."

Kagura bowed, but stopped midway when the taiyoukai spoke.

"No need to, I do not want anything but the promise of peace between our lands."

"Why of course."

Sesshomaru was tempted to roll his eyes but refrained himself from doing so.

Kagura sat down on the hard floor. She was forced to sit up when Naraku threw a china dish at her head.

"Wench, you have no right to be here, go wander the halls or something."

The hanyou began the chuckle.

"Quite funny creatures aren't they?"

"I take no pleasure in seeing that, unlike yourself I assume."

Naraku quickly finished what he was doing. Then the hanyou looked at Sesshomaru with his beady red eyes. "Now where's that agreement form?"

Suddenly there was a loud pounding noise at the door. A poorly dressed man stepped in and was panting heavily. There were multiple wounds spread across his body.

"Milord another war had broken out."

Naraku turned towards the taiyoukai. "It seems that our little meeting will have to be held tomorrow instead, I'm afraid."

Sesshomaru stood up. He walked up to the hanyou and glared at him. "Do not waste my time." And with that he walked out of the room.

The hallway was completely empty. Sesshomaru walked down it in a fowl mood. He was getting quite tired of the constant fighting, and now the hanyou had delayed the conference. Yes, things were definitely not going his way.

The taiyoukai neared a corner. As he rounded it he bumped into a frail object. He looked down and found the servant lying on the ground, waiting to get her daily beating from Naraku.

She slowly looked up when nothing came in contact with her body. She let her scarlet eyes wander up the form that stood in front of her. She quickly averted her gaze to the ground in shame of looking at some one in a higher rank than her.

Sesshomaru looked at the servant and held out a hand when he realized that it was the one that the hanyou had humiliated earlier. She was a demon and should be the one of a higher trait than some worthless hanyou.

"What is you name?" the taiyoukai asked in an emotionless voice.

Kagura struggled to say something but couldn't. She quickly pointed to her mouth with her free hand and was glad to see that he at least understood her; unlike the first time she had met Naraku. Then he had used her disability to turn her into his servant.

Sesshomaru nodded and pulled the servant up with one powerful pull. He let go of her hand and began walking down the hall in the opposite direction. Before he went out the door her turned around and looked at Kagura.

"Think nothing of my help."

He left the building for the time being.

Kagura knew he would be back tomorrow. She was absolutely happy that some one hadn't beaten her. She attempted to let a smile form on her face, but from all the years of battery and the deep depression that she had been suffering from all these years, would not let one come about. All she managed was a slight frown.

But Kagura thought a frown was good enough for her.


	3. The devious half demon, Naraku

**Author's note: I know it's been forever but I had lost a lot of ideas for this story, but I am updating as my way of saying sorry. Anyways I hope you like the chapter and don't forget to review!**

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Sesshomaru made his way through the empty halls of Naraku's castle. He walked gracefully down them, his every stide telling the world that he was royalty.

It was dead silent as Sesshomaru neared the room where Naraku and Kikyou held their throne chamber. He narrowed his eyes in digust. A half breed and a week mortal keeping a demon in chains to serve under them was lowly.

He had felt her strong demonic aura during their brief encounter last night. He knew that she possesed strong abilities.

Now the doors stood infront of him. Sesshomaru opened them loudly so that his presence would be known.

When he entered the room Naraku was smirking at the mound on the floor. He averted his eyes from Kagura to stare at Sesshomaru.

Kagura stood up on shaky legs. She walked to a corner and stood there like a statue. Her bangs covered her eyes as she watched Sesshomaru glare at her master.

"Good morning Lord Sesshomaru," Naraku snickered. He did a short bow then stood up to look into the cold icy voids that were Sesshomaru's eyes. "Something the matter?"

"Why don't we start this meeting. Don't waste my time half breed."

"That's no way to address a noble lord," Kikyou butted in.

Sesshomaru felt like rolling his eyes, but refrained from doing so. Naraku was a coward. He would trick his enemies into fighting one another so he wouldn't have to. He had a massive amount of slaves that were survivors from the wars that ragged on and would use them or kill them for the fun of it.

Sesshomaru directed his gaze towards Kikyou, who was wearing a ruby red dress decorated with expensive jems.

"You have no voice in this situation wench. I advise you to sit down and shut up."

Kikyou looked like she had been slapped across the face. She wasn't used to being treated like this. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the demon lord.

"Now Naraku what is it that you have planned for this meeting?"

"Well Lord Sesshomaru I think that it would be wise to write a letter of agreement, don't you agree?"

"And how do I know that a back stabber like you will not burn that paper to cinders then start up a new war?"

Naraku took a minute to think about it.

Kagura watched this all with amusement. Never in her life had she seen her lord be put down so many times. She couldn't help it, she laughed but it came out as a cough.

Naraku sharply turned his head in her direction. He narrowed his eyes and walked over to the imprisoned youkai.

Kagura trembled in fear as she heard her master raise a hand to hit her, but it stopped. She looked up to see Sesshomaru holding tightly onto Naraku's wrist, ready to break it at any given time.

"I don't see beating a _demon_, who could easily overpower you, in this meeting. Do it again and I won't hesitate to kill you."

"Now, now Lord Sesshomaru why not have some fun at this meeting too?"

Sesshomaru flexed his claws as a warning sign.

Naraku quickly regreted what he had said then continued to speak.

"And what do you think would be the best to stop this war?"

"For you to tell that pathetic army of yours to stop attacking my lands and come to some sort of understanding."

"But I do not own this army."

"You rule over them don't you? Show some authority over those fools and tell them to stop, or I'll personally aid my army on this stupid war and end it once and for all. And let me assure you that none of those men will be left alive."

"There will be no need to come to those actions my Lord."

Kagura was feeling like something that she had never felt before, was it happiness? Did it come from the fact that she might be freed from this hell and would just have to look back at it like it was just some nightmare?

She didn't know..

Narkau's voice broke through her thoughts.

"So what will it be?"

Sesshomaru was silent, glaring at the hanyou that stood before him. In a split second the demon lord darted towards Naraku and beheaded him.

The corpse fell to the wooden floor with a thud.

Kagura felt a gasp start to rise in her throat. Her sides started to tremble. A weak smile formed on her lips as she stared down at her master's fallen body. Kagura stepped forward to bow to Sesshomaru until she dropped but the happiness, her first smile,everything stopped when she heard Naraku's voice.

It was distant at first. Then he started to cackle and his voice grew louder and louder until it felt like he was in the very castle walls themselves.

"So Sesshomaru did you think you could kill me so easily? I think not."

Sesshomaru almost, almost smirked at the hanyou's pathectic little speech. He turned around and began walking towards the door. He pushed it open with a clawed hand and stepped out of the throne room.

Once in the hallway Sesshomaru alerted all of his senses. He placed a hand on his sword just incase the fool decided to pull something. It would result with Naraku being decapitated and there was nothing more than doing that, that Sesshomaru wanted to do at the moment.

A floor board creaked.

Sesshomaru swung around and pointed his sword at the thing's neck.

Kagura fell backwards and onto her butt. She looked up at Sesshomaru with fright stricken across her face.

The youkai lord drew the sword back and stared at Kagura with emotionless eyes.

He turned around and started walking but something caused him to turn around.

Kagura was coughing.

"If you have somthing to say, then say it now before that worthless hanyou tries anything."

Sesshomaru was answered only by silence.

Kagura coughed once more, clutching her throat that burned when she tried to speak. She looked at Sesshomaru and pointed to her mouth then made a hadn gesture that clearly told him that she couldn't speack, that she was a mute.

"What has caused you to act this way?" He knew that she couldn't speak but he knew that she could tell him somehow, he would just have to figure that out.

Kagura looked at the ground and then pointed to a massive scar that ran down her right arm. Sesshomaru knew who had given her that scar and knew who the one was that had caused her to got mute.

Naraku.

Sesshomaru's eyes darted to the side. He jumped out of the way as two large tentcle like things burst from the wall, sperating Kagura from Sesshomaru.

"So Naraku you finally decided to show yourself?" The taiyouaki said while he pulled out his sword and went into a battle stance.

"Sesshomaru!" Naraku cackled. "You will become one with me!"

The tentcles whiplashed towards Sesshomaru, but he quickly side stepped out of the way. He raised his sword and cut them into tiny pieces, making sure not to hurt the demoness in the process of doing so.

"The deal is off Naraku, the last thing you'll ever see is my blade before I chop your head off." Sesshomaru brought the sword down one more time, creating a large cloud of dust. He began to walk away, making Naraku believe that he had surrendered.

Kagura stood up quickly and began running after Sesshomaru.

The taiyoukai turned around when he heard the demoness cough and sputter in the dust.

Suddenly she tripped on her chains and was being pulled back by something that was hiding in the shadows.

It was Naraku.

Kagura dug her nails into the floorboards, not wanting to be taken back into the hell that she lived everday.

She wanted to scream, to feel her throat vibrate as she did so, but she couldn't. It was all Naraku's falt.

The hanyou pulled on the chains one more time until Kagura was right in front of him. He smiled wickedly then began to rip at the demoness, who just sat still and took it.

Hey, it was life and it wasn't pretty.

When Naraku was done mauling the bloody demoness he turned around and saw that Sesshomaru wasn't there. He figured that the almighty demon lord must have fled.

Kagura stared down the dark, empty hallway through her tear filled eyes. She had lost her only life line out of this nightmare.

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Sesshomaru stood on a hill watching the castle. He put his sword back and turned around, heading back to his lands.

He would return once more.

Someday...


	4. Pain, punishment, and pressure

Author's Note: You must all hate me now. I never update this story and I had said in my bio that it was abandoned. Well I felt like a writing machine one day and decided to continue this story, although you must understand that I have two more brand new stories that need to be updated and have very long chapters. Anyways here is a new chapter and don't forget to review.

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A tear glistened in the small rays of a candle light. It was forbidden for her to ever have a candle lit but she lit one anyways. Besides, the master was out preparing a new attack against the only demon that she wished to not fight against. 

Her eyes were clouded over with sorrow as she silently wept. She even wished she could hear herself cry, although it would do no good. She just wanted to have a voice.

The door to her chambers was ripped open by a pudgy hand. Glaring red eyes stared her down full of hate. A foot connected with her ribs and sent her sprawling across her room, the chains that enslaved her freedom smashed down upon her fingers, casuing prickles of pain to shoot up her hand and up further to her arm.

Kagura sat herself up and raised her arms in a defensive manner just as Naraku's open palm tried to reach her face. The wind sorceress paid for her actions just as quickly as the whole dispute had happened.

Naraku grabbed the chains that bound her legs together and used them to drag Kagura closer to him. Kagura grabbed the floor boards but her nails only left scratch marks in the wood and offered no such hold against Naraku's punishment.

A fist hit her directly in her left eye. Kagura's mouth twitched from the pain just before it worsened. She was knocked flat on her stomach when the sole of Naraku's foot pressed down on her lower back.

The hanyou released it and stared at the fallen woman with cold hatred.

"Get up," he commaned.

Kagura could only raise herself to her elbows. Naraku cackled and then spun on his heel and left the room. But not before he told her what she ordered to do next.

"You will be sent out to kill Lord Sesshomaru so I will be rid of him."

Kagura winced and went over to the candle that now lay on the floor with a puddle of wax surrounding it. She picked it up between delicate fingers and set it back on the wooden coaster that it had been on before Naraku had entered.

Seated in a dark corner of the small room, Kagura picked one of the two pink feathers that were embedded in her now messy hair and studied it. She twirled it around and around, her eyes never leaving it for this was her only means of escaping.

And it was totally useless against Naraku.

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Amber eyes scanned the castle from afar. They held no emotion but if you looked deep enough you could see the anger that resided within them. 

His long, silky silver hair blew in the wind that blew from all directions. Sesshomaru pulled back from his spot in the woods just outside of that filty hanyou's castle and turned his back to it and the servent demon that housed much power.

Jaken would be searching for him and right now he didn't want to be around the little toad demon so the taiyoukai turned off into a different direction and began walking off into the deep forest.

Tree after tree, Sesshomaru walked on. Birds sang quietly to themselves and that was all that could be heard besides the quiet rustle of leaves every now and then. Sesshomaru stopped walking along when he came upon an open feild.

The grass was a lighter color here. A daisy would rock lazily back in forth in the wind when it brushed past it. A tiny little brook was off to the side and near it was an old looking tree that gave off enough shade that he could sit under it in his demon form.

Sesshomaru walked over to the old tree and instead of resting under it he jumped up nearly fifteen feet before resting on a solid branch. He never sat down he just looked to the side and watched Naraku's castle closely.

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Naraku stood before his hoard of demons and was instructing them on exactly what they were supposed to do and if they did wrong it would cost them their lives. When he finally paced in front of Kagura he snickered when she had her head held low and refused to look at him. 

The hanyou clasped his hands around the chains that bound her hands together and lead her back into the castle instead of being out in the open where all eyes could see and all ears could hear what was about to happen.

Yet another punishment.

"Show some pride," Narkau snapped as he slapped Kagura across the face, who still hand her head bowed.

"Did you hear what I said?"

Kagura didn't want to nod or shake her head or shrug her shoulders. She didn't want to kill the demon who had come into this castle despising her master. She didn't want to be in charge of a demon hoard and she didn't want to be in chains for the rest of her life.

She wanted a voice.

Head still bowed, Kagura moved off to the side and went to go walk past Naraku but his fingers dug painfully into her upper arm.

"Did you hear what I said?" He repeated again before shoving Kagura into the back of the room so she wouldn't try to walk away again.

And she did just the opposite of what he wanted.

Kagura didn't care how much damage her body sustained. She didn't want to be in this room right now and she was going do do things her own way. When she tried to brush past her master for the second time in the past three minutes she felt horrible pain errupting from her heart.

Her legs gave out and she hit the floor with a loud _thud._ Narak roughly lifted her up and just hurled her out of the castle instead of yelling at her anymore, seeing that he finally go his way and she wasn't trying to ignore him anymore. If she refused to listen again he would just kill her.

When Naraku paced in front of the demons again Kagura had her head up. Her eyes looked cloudy and mud was smeared all over her face and clothes.

A trickle of blood went down her face from the bruise on her cheek bone that Naraku had ripped open by slapping her with all his might.

"You will scout the land," he yelled, "and when you find Lord Sesshomaru you will kill him and bring me back his head when you are done."

There were nods from everyone, Naraku noticed, except Kagura.

His long strides Kagura recognized right away and met his eyes with her deep crimson ones.

"Isn't that right Kagura?"

She just stared at him with a bored expression on her face.

Naraku smiled coldly before producing a knife from inside of his kimono. He let it glisten before Kagura slowly raised her head and slowly lowered it to let Naraku know that she understood and that he was right with the silent nod.

The knife went away and Kagura was commanded to get on her feather and lead the way. She fought with herself before she flew off on the feather with the demons not far behind her.

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Sesshomaru watched as a cloud came his way. He knew better, that was no no cloud it was a hoard of demons. 

His eyes widened ever so slightly when he caught a glimpse of who was leading them. He had no time to do anything because the demons were piling on him in a matter of seconds.


	5. If death is the answer, bring it on

Author's note: Okay here's another update and it's not how many months later! Wow. The next chapter should be up in a couple of weeks. Thanks to all the people that read the last chapter, here is yet another installment of That cold stare!

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To say he felt pain was a great understatement. He felt no pain at all as hundreds of weak demons covered his form, trying to rip past his silver armor and to the skin that lay below it. But Sesshomaru was too strong for them and with one graceful swipe of his sword the demons vanished in a bright, blue light. 

Sesshomaru walked through the bloody mess of demons and made his way into the direction of which that other demon was positioned in.

Kagura was floating on her feather, stricken with guilt and fear. She had no idea what the great taiyoukai would do to her and feared what would happen if he decided to punish her for her actions. She held her head low and was forced to raise it when a kink started to form in her neck.

His silver hair billowed in the wind that his sword had created that seemed to remain here instead of vanishing. He put his weapon away as he moved closer and closer to the wind demoness, the one who's fear he could sense even from his spot far enough away from her that no other demon would be able to depict, yet he could.

The grass was bent where he walked and a terrible silence had sprung up, making Kagura even more scared than she had been in a while. This was nothing compared to the torment that she went through with being Naraku's little servant. She hated the silence and feared it as well.

Finally, Sesshomaru stood before Kagura. His golden eyes never moved, he never blinked and he never spoke, until he saw her frail body begin to shake and her posture went rigid. And that is when he decided to speak.

"You are the one enslaved by Naraku?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice calm and devoid of all emotions.

Kagura nodded slowly and suddenly found the ground to be much less intense to look at compared to that of the taiyoukai. She wanted her voice right now more than anything...even more than her freedom. She needed to escape Naraku's grasp, but how could that be done if she could not voice how she thought and what she wanted?

"What is it that ties you to him?"

She wanted to tell him. To say he could kill her, that he was her creator. Kagura lifted her head and stared off blankly into the sky. She had no idea how she was going to tell him that she could die if Naraku's grubby hands clenched around her heart.

But Sesshomaru was smarter than she thought.

"Is it because he was the one that gave you life?"

So he knew then. Kagura still kept her gaze away from the taiyoukai's and nodded her head like she had done before. He probably wanted to kill her now for smelling like Naraku because she was his creation.

Before Sesshomaru could remind her any further that she was nothing but scum, she flew away on her feather, back into the direction of Naraku's castle and prepared to suffer the extent of her failure at the hands of the one who gave her a life, one that she didn't want.

Sesshomaru held his head up and watched her leave. His suspicions were put to rest. He couldn't help her now and he was not about to go into that castle that reeked of the hanyou and have to put up with his trickery.

The wind demoness would have to help herself for the time being. Right now he had to go back to Jaken and maybe step on the little annoying toad demon some more. Then when he was ready, he would slay Naraku and bring an end to him

He would not be tricked again and he would actually kill Naraku, without the help of any other being. And of that he was certain.

* * *

Kagura was flanked by demons, one on each side of her. They both had their slimey clawed hands wrapped around her arms and were literally dragging her towards her doom down the candle lit hallways. 

When she had arrived back from her encounter with Sesshomaru with not one demon following her, she was knocked onto the ground by Naraku's special gaurds and bound with ropes and chains. She was treated poorly and regretted returning to this place.

Naraku had given the special gaurds, who were powerful spider demons in a human disguise, strict orders and that Kagura be kept tied up and punished if she even stepped out of place by the slightest bit.

They snarled at each other and fought over many things as they dragged Kagura easily further and further down the hallway. She was so weak and worn that one of them had been afraid that they had almost snapped her in two when they had lifted her violently off the ground.

Kagura felt one of the hands leave her arm to push aside the bamboo curtain that was used as a door. She didn't even know that she had been shoved forward until she turned around and looked back at the swaying door.

Cold, evil laughter filled the room and Kagura shuddered. She knew well enough not to make eye contact with her angered master, but forced herself to so she wouldn't suffer anymore. She made sure to look at something behind him though, because she despised him so, but still had to pay atenttion to what he was saying. She was good at this and that was what had kept her from breaking all those years ago.

"And Sesshomaru's head still rests upon his uncut neck?" Naraku sneered.

The response he got out of Kagura was not what he wanted and that was no response at all and he hated it.

"Why didn't you obey my orders!"

Of course she couldn't fully answer that, and Naraku knew that but in his fowl mood he wanted some sort of reaction out of his slave and when he didn't get one he resorted with violence. His fist connected with her face once again, but she was refusing to show any emotion and he was getting sick of it.

His eyes seemed to glow red, redder than they previously were and it was all her fault. Everything was her fault and she needed to be destroyed.

Kagura still held her ground and was now glaring at her master with hate burning in her eyes.

* * *

Sesshomaru could feel something that was going to cause both unhappiness and happiness. He turned around and faced the castle of Naraku that was nothing more than a shadow in the background and knew it was going to come from there. 

Something drove him forward and he slowly made his way towards it, loathing the fact that he may have to come into contact with the foolish half demon. If it came down to it he would kill Naraku and that was something to look forward to.

One foot infront of the other, Sesshomaru walked through the tall, wild grass towards his destination. And for once in his life, Sesshomaru could not forsee the events that would soon happen.

* * *

The first couple punches that Naraku had thrown her way could be easily dodged because they were purely out of blind rage and their target was untold of, but Kagura was never hit and she always knew where he was going to hit next. 

In his continuous fit of rage, Naraku's balled up fist met with air instead of pale, fragile skin for the tenth time in a matter of only five minutes. But, to Kagura's surprise, Naraku swung his fist to the side with terrible speed that had enough power (not that he needed much in Kagura's condition) to send the wind demoness flying across the room.

With her finally down, Naraku moved away from her and went directly to a fine set of ceremonial katanas that decorated the far wall of the room.

_This will end everything, this will make things better. I will be free of her as a troublesome burden and then I can rule in peace. The power I will gain will be great and mighty and that wench will not lag around here anymore! She will be dead!_

Naraku's knuckles went pure white as he grasped tightly onto the handle of the fine katana. It glistened in the candle light and as soon as it was taken out of its scabbard, Kagura knew she was in more trouble then she had ever been and she needed strength, but strength she had not.

_Everything is for power. Every little thing that I do is for power and I will have it someday! _

The blade crashed down into the wooden floor and was stuck there until it was forced out by the hanyou. His hands were bleeding now from grasping both sides of a double sided blade and ripping it out, also ripping his palms too. This only drove his anger on further.

Kagura moved out of the way of the swinging blade, but it had nicked her in her right shoulder. Blood was now visible through her kimono and the sticky liquid was irritating her skin. She paid no attention to it as Naraku swung the blade towards her once again.

If only she had her fan with her. Naraku had taken that away from her and it was now locked up in one of his many rooms somewhere in the castle. Even her feather could save her, but once again that was taken away by her cruel master when he had ripped them violently out of her hair, taking some of it with him.

Not looking where she was going, Kagura tripped over a candle that had been placed on the ground and whimpered in pain as the bright flame burnt the flesh on her left leg. She was too concerned about that for the time being to notice that Naraku was charging straight towards her.

His body clashed into hers, sending Kagura backwards where she lay on the ground. The katana was raised above Kagura.

Naraku expected fear to be written on her face, but he was met with the thing that he had never seen the wind demoness do ever since he had enslaved her.

She was smiling.

"All for power!" Naraku said as he thrust the blade down.

And Kagura was met with something that she had hoped she would meet for so long.

She had met death.


	6. Iridescent voice

Author's note: Sorry if the last chapter confused anyone. Just because Kagura died does not mean it's the end of the story, it means I'm just starting. Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter, they were awesome. Since school is starting yet again :sigh: this story will be going slow, but I'll try super hard to get a new chapter up every two weeks if possible and that goes for my other stories as well.

* * *

The scent of death was strong and pungent to his delicate nose. It got stronger and stronger as he approached Naraku's castle, and felt like turning back more than once, but he couldn't. 

The smog surrounding the structure became heavier and the marking of that idiotic hanyou was unpleasant to say the least. Just a mile or so and he would be there. There was no turning back now so he might as well slaughter that unholly creature that had the blood of countless others stained on his grubby hands.

What was once deep grass was now pushed down as if some one had been by here just previously. There must've been and Naraku was the one who had been. Just what was he doing here, Sesshomaru hadn't the slightlest clue but it had something to do with that enslaved demoness.

Blood stained the ground in nurmerous places and the smell of death grew even stronger. Off to the side a very valuable looking katana was thrown into a patch of long, tall grass and was stained heavily with blood.

His foot bumped into something on the grassy ground. Sesshomaru shifted his gaze downwards and saw the body of no other than Kagura herself.

Her kimono was colored nothing but crimson. Multiple gashes stretched across her body, most of them deep and extremely wide. Her hair had come untied and clung to her face like glue, covering up some of the worse cuts on her face. The chains and shackles had been removed, giving Sesshomaru a good view of the bruises and scars that they hid beneath them.

However there was one thing that stuck out the most and that was the smile she had etched upon her face, happy at last and free from Naraku.

Sesshomaru didn't no what to do with her. He couldn't possibly bring back this demoness if she wanted to die in the first place. But Tensaiga thought otherwise and began to glow a bright iridescent blue.

So the sword wanted this one to live? If he did would she be another burden in his life? He didn't need anymore of those, but perhaps it was the better thing to do,besides he could test the sword out again and if he didn't like the results and the demoness was annoying he could just leave her.

He grasped onto the hilt of his sword and pulled it out. Tensaiga was placed over her body and gave Sesshomaru a good view of all the carriers from the other world tugging at her lifeless corpse.With his eyes narrowed to the point where they were only slits on his face, Sesshomaru raised the sword and crashed it down onto the little imps and was engulfed with a briliant blue light.

As the small area of which they stood cleared and the sky as well as the air returned back to normal, Sesshomaru watched with an almost slight hint of fasination as the demoness began to stir and then twitch.

The great taiyoukai took a step back just as an ear piercing scream ripped from the bloody body of Kagura. It continued for some time before her eyes sprang open, realizing that she wasn't dead anymore and alive, looking at white.

Kagura slowly propped herself up on one elbow and was surprised that she had the strength to, after that last fight with Naraku. She shook her head and glanced up at the taiyoukai, shock written all over her face.

"Wh-wh-what..."

She stood up and clasped her hands over her mouth. What was that weird feeling in her throat? Had she just spoken? Could it be possible?

She could speak!

Sesshomaru looked at her like she was a silly little child and turned his back. Kagura looked at his long sliver hair and pondered.

Was he the one that gave her back the voice that she never had?

Impossible...

When her saviour began to walk away she quickly ran after him, not wanting to be left behind. She followed in silence and stayed two steps behind him just incase she was invading his personal space.

Sesshomaru on the other hand was deciding the demoness' fate. As long as she was quiet and didn't get in the way she could stay with him, but she was pretty useless now that he thought about it. What to do, what do do.She couldn't even speak so what now?

"I-I-I..." Kagura looked at the ground and could find the right words. It felt so weird talking and she was surprisedthat she could even talk, perhaps it was because she had spent so much time listening and reading lips that she knew how to pronounce every word that came out of her mouth. "I-I am in de-debit to you."

The only answer she received was a long period of silence and then finally a ever so slight nod of his head. This was better than nothing, she supposed and kept walking behind him.

They weren't going to the castle anymore. Sesshomaru needed to find Jaken and sort some things out. Naraku would have to wait even though he didn't want things to be going this way. He hadn't been expecting this demoness tobe around and he hadn't planned using Tensaiga either.

This would prove to be quite interesting.

"Tell me," Sesshomaru said while he stood still and emotionless, "what is your name?" He had asked once before but she had been mute then and she was no longer, so what was the hold back?

"I-I think it's Kagura..."

The taiyoukai began to walk again. His posture was perfect as he headed towards the path where he had lost Jaken. Kagura watched him the whole time, fully knowing that he could sense her gazing at his back, but she she didn't care.

She was alive again...

Alive and Free...

Is this how she wanted to live her freedom? By the side of the taiyoukai who had stood up her former master or more like below the great Sesshomaru? But shouldn't she have a choice what to do with her life?

Had she forgotten that easily that she was in debit to him? There was no other path to walk down but the one that Sesshomaru travelled on and she would share that fate with him, if he liked it or not.

She wanted to see to Naraku's demise as well.

In the mist that hung over the dense forest, two figures could be seen walking away from the castle in wich Naraku houses as well as his secrets and lies. Their shadows were the only thing left of them as they went in search of Jaken.


	7. The greater evil

Author's note: I am one hundred percent stuck on this story. I have run out of ideas and cannot think of anything else to add onto my plot line. This does not mean that I'm going to give up on this story, I just need to really think up some better things. Don't worry, this problem should be fixed soon since not being able to write something bugs the hell out of me. Please stand by and thanks for all your generous reviews!

* * *

_Flashback_

Scared. She was scared, scared for her life and those around her. She could do nothing against the greater evil here and stepping out of line to voice herself could easily be compared to ending her life right now.

Kagura stood, arms and feet bound in about ten pounds worth of chains. She didn't dare move, lest she want to face the angered faces of those massively well built figures that would lash you well over a hundred times if you stepped out of line. Besides, she was unable to move anyways having so much weight to carry around while her body was slowly being depleted of it's strength.

Hundreds of other demons stood in line either in front of her or behind her, all bound as well. They were supposed to be granted a better life, (that's what the guards to Naraku's castle had said) but upon arriving, Kagura highly doubted she would have something better compared to what she had in the past, which was pretty bad to begin with.

Dark, black clouds hovered overhead as if they belonged to this place. An awful smell filled her sensitive nose, one of miasma. There was no denying the fact that this place was in fact a place of evil and death, yet she could do nothing to stop it. Nothing appeared to be alive for miles and miles. Not one blade of grass swayed in the demonic wind, the singing of birds nothing but a faint memory of the past. Even the ground looked strange, bearing no distinct colors, nor any rocks. And to top it all off, Kagura could smell the unmistakable stench of death each time one of the guards passed by.

It was a death zone.

Her chains made a muffled noise as the line connecting each and every one of them together was pulled roughly on, making all those who were off in their own little word stumble forward only to be whipped into place by one of the guards.

Kagura had once been a very neatly kept woman, preferring to stay to the wealthy side of the village. She had lived among those with riches and often wore some rather expensive jewelery too. Then while she was out wandering the market place one day, the crimson eyed woman had happened upon a man who sold special weapons. She couldn't resist the sparkling fan that lay on a blue silk pillow and had bought it, having no knowledge of just how great the power really was.

Somehow, somewhere, Kagura had taken the wrong turn in life, leading her to a rather dangerous lifestyle. She began to hang around more powerful demons, trading her wealth for more power. With that fan the woman became a wind sorceress, strong and deadly. She soon became feared by all in the small demon village, wanted for murder from time to time, then finally decided that she would be best off by herself.

She had no family, except an extremely pale girl with silver hair. She was always calm and carried around a small mirror with her at all times. Stuck in a world of ignorance, Kagura always assumed that the child liked to look at herself all the time, thus why she carried the mirror around all hours of the day. But then she had witnessed first hand what powers it harbored and thought that teaming up with her sibling could be about the best idea she ever had.

The law thought otherwise.

Kagura often found herself locked up somewhere in some dirty old cell until she slaughtered those imprisoning her. Always on the run, Kagura never thought of what it would've been like had she not chosen this lifestyle. If she would've then she wouldn't be standing in a line full of criminals just like her after selling her soul just to have a better life.

Wrong again.

The castle doors flew open and from what Kagura could see, a tall man stood above the others on a deck, waving his hand lightly. She could sense the evil that plagued his entire body before she got a good look of what he really appeared to be.

Dressed in a dark, well fitted kimono, the man she would soon know to be Naraku, slowly made his way down the line of his would be slaves. He stopped before Kagura, red eyes piercing through her very soul, or what she had left of it anyways. She remained quiet, head bowed lightly as he studied her features and called over to the guards.

"I think this one will do just fine."

"But my Lord, she's just a poorly woman. What good could she possibly do for you?" A lizard demon of some sort, tattooed heavily and armed with a single, deadly looking spear questioned his master.

"A lot more good than you'll ever do."

With one swift motion, Naraku's legs burst into a cluttered group of tentacles. They shot forward, ripping through the slender body of the demon guard. Kagura watched, eyes wide with shock as the demon turned into a pile of dust that blew away on the wind. She quickly returned her gaze to ground, refusing to look at the demon Lord as he neared once more, a cold grin plastered on his face.

"Rid her of these bindings," Naraku hissed to the dumbfounded guards all around, still shocked by what had just happened. "Hurry now."

Kagura felt the cold metal suddenly plunge deeper into the flesh around her feet as one guard shoved a single silver key into the lock of her shackles. The same thing happened when the guard undid the other one and the cuffs around her wrists as well.

It felt strange, being free of the chains and all. Kagura couldn't help herself as she stumbled forward, almost colliding with a guard in the process of doing so. Just as quickly, another rushed forward, whip raised. He too met his fate at the hands (tentacles) of Naraku and blew away just like the other had only minutes ago.

Naraku guided her towards the castle, the same grin still formed solidly on his lips. He had set a pace faster than Kagura could catch up to and the wind sorceress began to think that he was doing this only for the enjoyment of watching her suffer.

The castle stood before them, tall and deadly. Kagura approached with caution, too aware of what lay inside, but did so anyways when Naraku held the straw door open for her. Upon entering, Kagura could do nothing but shiver when the cold air inside crept over her skin as if a ghost had just latched itself onto her entire body.

"Welcome to my castle," Naraku had said as he lead the way, still a far ways away from Kagura. "I'm sure that in time you'll come to appreciate this place."

She thought otherwise.

A door neared, leading to a room where she sensed a terrible evil energy. She stalled for as long as she could until Naraku had to force her inside, muttering curses and death threats. When she fell face first into the wooden floor, the wind sorceress wished she could take it all back and return to the once humble life she once had and wasted all for the name and sake of power.


End file.
